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Working memory and processing speed deficits in systemic lupus erythematosus as measured by the paced auditory serial addition test

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2004

JANET L. SHUCARD ,
JOY PARRISH ,
DAVID W. SHUCARD ,
DANIELLE C. McCABE ,
RALPH H.B. BENEDICT  and
JULIAN AMBRUS
JANET L. SHUCARD
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Neurosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
JOY PARRISH
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Neurosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
DAVID W. SHUCARD
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Neurosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
DANIELLE C. McCABE
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Neurosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
RALPH H.B. BENEDICT
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Neurosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
JULIAN AMBRUS
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
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Abstract

As many as 66% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have been reported to have cognitive deficits. These deficits are often associated with information processing speed and working memory. Similarly, processing speed and working memory impairments are the hallmark of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS). The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) places high demands on processing speed and working memory. Fisk and Archibald, however, demonstrated that the total score of the PASAT does not accurately reflect impairments in these cognitive processes. They found that MS patients used a chunking strategy to obtain correct responses and reduce the cognitive demands of the task. In the present study, PASAT performance was examined for 45 SLE patients and 27 controls using alternative scoring procedures. Although the total number of correct responses did not differ between SLE and controls at the 2.4 or 2.0 s presentation rates, SLE patients had fewer dyads (correct consecutive responses) than controls at the faster rate, and more chunking responses than controls at both rates. Disease activity, disease duration, depression, fatigue, and corticosteroids could not account for these differences. The findings suggest that SLE patients, like MS patients, chunk responses more often than controls, and that this scoring procedure may better reflect the working memory and processing speed deficits present in SLE. (JINS, 2004, 10, 35–45.)

Keywords

Autoimmune diseaseMultiple sclerosisSubcortical dementiaCognitive impairmentNeuropsychiatric SLE

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , January 2004 , pp. 35 - 45
Copyright
© 2004 The International Neuropsychological Society

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